The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-03-22


through the open door.
He smiled. wcarily.
do L? And what are You doing,
Claricc? Still sewing for those hard
ened little wretchcs?
Yes: isn't this big hole am darn
ing? Roys do wear out their clothes
so fast. You are home early from tho
office"
"Yes. had an engagement at three
o'clock and did not care 10 90 back.
May | come in and have a chat with
you?"
20, yes, if you care to-" with her
quick smile, smile which her eyes be-
lied. and which always seemed to John
''made to order" She pulled forward
a chair without rising. and went OH
with her darning again. 81 sit in here
because it's cool. and | always do my
sewing afternoons: in the mornings
there is homework"
1t WAS Il shabby little parlOr. seldom
used by the bOarderS. who were prin-
cipally gentlemen. and spent their
evenings out, if not in their own rooms.
A few tawdry decorations only en-
HANGED the shabbinesS of the thread
bare carpet, dirty walls and ancient
lace curtains.
''Do younever have any amuscmentS.
ClaIicc?' asked John, trying To- forget
his own wrctchednecs by interesting
himself in some one else.
"Amuscments," she repeated. push
ing the curls of her forehead in a puz-
zled way. 10, yes: there is a Mr..
Jones; he plays the piano: and once
Mr.. Aikens. the the rlocution teacher.
read piece, and all the boardcrs came
in"
John smiled. eyeing the little maiden
pityingly as she stitched away. She
looked up suddenly and caught his eve.
I'VE did not always keep boar'lerS. ;"
she said. proudly. reading something
there she did not like. when ! WAS
at school we were well off and had a
nice house: but mamma is widow
with eight children, You know, and j
have TO help her about the work.
Il know, said John, kindly. looking
at little CIarice with so much sympa-
thy that she quite warmed toward him,
and continued contidentially:
"Onces | had a beautiful time-that
was good while ago-I girl knew ai
school hunted me up, wrote Ia me and
invited me To see her. 1t waS in Phila-
delphia."
land did YOU go?''
"Ah. yes, and it was a beautiful
time!' Then. her face falling, "hut
had 10 come home. 1t WAS all over i'm
three months.
"Ah, that was hard" sympathetic
ally.
''Yes, il WAS, Mr.. Rogers" taking
up another JACKIE. and beginning ON Il
new hole. '"For they were rich, you
know, and it was quite like old times
their nice house and all-and then to
come back here-the noise and the
children, and clearing up the rooms :
it seemed worse after that. But per
hapS | shouldn't have minded il if il
hadn't been for-there was something
worse than all that, continued Clarice,
working hard at the jacket with crimson
| cheeks
"Will you tell me about ito asked
John Rogers. very kindly, his honest
gray eyes softening. 1T does one good
sometimes to tell ones troubles. and
! am so much older than YOU.
Claricc looked up, quite gratilied at
this unexpected sympathy.
Il viii tell you, Mr.. Rogers. Ii was
when | WAS in Philadelphia that met
Harris-Harris Bell-and | waS-so
| different there, at the parties ] went to
with Fannie. that he thought | WAS
pretty. and told me 80, and said that
he loved me and wanted me to be his
wife. l had pretty white dress. YOU
know, tirnidly, and CHANGING blush
ingly down ut her present faded calico.
land Wore flowers -and-you car
scarcely understand it,.
"Yes. | can understand it," said
John. noting the light i'm the brown
eyes and the newly acquired color.
Tell me the rest, Claricc.
''And we were engaged-and could
scarcely believe it-but | was very
happy. He was such handsome gen
tleman. too, and So ari>tocratic, and |
did not mind the boarders: or any
thing when | thought about Harris. So
at last he came here IN see mo. and a.,
saw mamma and the children. the
house and the boarlers. and | can't
tell you how it was. but he was differ
ent. He didn t tell me he was changed.
but he was restless. and il worried him.
and | SAW he cared. | am proud. Mr..
Rogers. though we are poor now, and
broke it all mp. 1t wasn't the love
had dreamed of. had read great
,pl \ &, $780,